FINDSPARK COMMUNITY SUCCESS STORIES

Mohammad Bolatero, Digital Marketing / Social Media Intern at Two TreesCommunity member and Hustle Summit Fellow Mohammad found out about the internship at Two Trees through the FindSpark job board. He applied and eventually got the job!

September 29, 2016

Kaila Kane, PR Intern at ASTRSKPR
Hustle Summit Fellow Kaila applied to ASTRSK PR through the FindSpark job board, and was offered an accelerated internship at the company with the potential to become an Assistant Account Executive. She says, "I started participating in FindSpark events/webinars in January, and two months later I can say that I've found a job and am officially moving to New York!"

March 22, 2017

Christina Waterman, Associate Producer for the Shorty Awards
Christina, a Hustle Summit Scholar, used the FindSpark job board to apply for a freelance position at the Shorty Awards and got the job! She was recently brought on full-time.

March 22, 2017

Matthew Reich, Film Marketing Intern at Allied Integrated Marketing
FindSpark member Matthew attended Hustle Summit in New York City, where he met with reps from Allied Integrated Marketing. He was later hired as their newest Film Marketing Intern!

April 4, 2017

Tiffany Hui, Content Manager, Global Emerging Accounts at BrandwatchTiffany attended Hustle Summit in New York City with her sister Melissa, a longtime member and Hustle Summit Fellow. She connected with Brandwatch at the event, and got the job a few months later!

April 4, 2017

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5 Ways to Convey Confidence When You’re Totally Confused

Want to move to the next stage in your career and meet ambitious young pros like you? Join us for FindSpark Next, an immersive professional development event, taking place on Saturday, November 12th, 2016 at The Wix Lounge. We’ll connect you digitally and in-person to an exclusive group of kick-ass professionals. Learn more & apply for tickets at findsparknext.com

We’ve all been in that awkward situation, whether it be at school, at work, or even just with friends…someone asks a question or makes a comment that throws you off. You might become self-conscious because you aren’t sure how to respond. You might become nervous, especially if you’re in a job interview setting. You might even become confused because you’re left focusing on not knowing how to respond, rather than on the question or comment at hand.

The truth is that learning how to handle these situations with poise and confidence is an important life skill that will help you invaluably in the future. Below are five ways to convey confidence, even when you’re feeling totally lost.

Be honest. Trying to make up a response to a challenging question will create anxiety, and make your audience doubt you. Being honest is the best way to go, and helps you to feel confident because you’re telling the undeniable truth. Next time you’re confused, simply say, “I’m not certain, to be honest, but I believe…”

Offer a solution.If you’re not comfortable with offering up your opinions or thoughts, you can still feel confident and valued by always offering a solution. People will respect you more for saying, “I’m not sure, but let me confirm that and get back to you.” Then make a note of the question or comment, and do make sure you share a confirmed response afterward!

Maintain posture. Not to sound like your mother here, but maintaining a confident posture goes a very long way in helping you to exude confidence. If you hunch over or fidget during meetings, you will look uncomfortable; however, if you sit up straight and hold focus on the discussion, you will appear fully engaged.

Speak with authority. That public speaking course really did have merit. Minimizing the amount of “um,” “you know,” and “uhh” utterances during your dialogues and presentations will only help to keep your audience reassured that you know what you are talking about.

Chin up. No matter how insecure or awkward you might feel, keep your chin up. Keeping your chin up is among the most powerful signs of confidence you can give with your body language.

Next time someone says something unexpected, keep these tips in mind to exude confidence…even if you’re not feeling completely confident, and leave a lasting impression.

Do you have any other quick tips for staying confident in a scary situation?

Want to move to the next stage in your career and meet ambitious young pros like you? Join us for FindSpark Next, an immersive professional development event, taking place on Saturday, November 12th, 2016 at The Wix Lounge. We’ll connect you digitally and in-person to an exclusive group of kick-ass professionals. Learn more & apply for tickets at findsparknext.com

I would sometimes ask the person to elaborate on their question and maybe by asking it a different way…I’d be able to understand it better and be able to reply. BUT yes, admitting that you are confused or don’t have an answer is sometimes better than trying to bluff your way through it.

About FindSpark

FindSpark is a community dedicated to setting up young professionals for career success and connecting employers to top, diverse young professional talent.

Since forming in 2011, FindSpark has become the largest Meetup group for interns and recent grads in the country, hosting over 250 events for more than 25,000 members.

FindSpark is proud to be a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).

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